Velocity Micro Edge Z55: Core i7-940 with CrossFire 4870
by Matt Campbell on December 12, 2008 2:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
Power
We measure power consumption using a Kill-A-Watt device at the wall outlet. Idle indicates a measurement taken in Windows with no applications running. Max indicates the maximum power draw with the system fully loaded (running eight instances of Prime95 and 3DMark Vantage simultaneously). We've also indicated power draw with just the CPU loaded.
Noise
We measured noise with a sound level meter, at distances of 24" and 48". The chipset fan dominated the noise produced. For reference, ambient noise was approximately 37.5 dB(A).
These are the maximum noise levels under a full CPU load. At idle, the system was 1.2 - 1.4 dB(A) less than the values shown. Subjectively, the system is fairly quiet apart from the chipset fan, which is high-pitched enough to be annoying over long periods.
Temperature
We utilized CoreTemp 0.99.3 to measure CPU temperatures, which has incorporated the latest TjMax values for Intel processors. We loaded each core with Prime95 and ran 3DMark Vantage in the background.
The Core i7 processor is notorious for running quite hot. Compounding this, we have an overclocked gaming system that is using a stock Intel heatsink and fan, which is unusual. Temperatures climbed above 80°C in about a minute, and settled out near the 90°C mark. At only 3.2GHz, clearly this is a limiting factor, as we remarked in the opening.
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Matt Campbell - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
Thanks for the input. One of the main reasons we include the Reseller Ratings numbers, and read through and comment on the feedback there, is to convey across a broad number of people (and not just our one experience) what the customer service impression is. This time around, we also provided information on our experience with Mario, who was our system builder and therefore (at VM) the tech. support rep.UNHchabo - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
This was a pre-production system, so it'd be obvious that a reviewer was calling. ;)Harby - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
Is there a reason that Intel mobo was used? I mean, its probaly the worst X58 mobo atm, mainly because it only incorporates 4 DIMM slots.Matt Campbell - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
Likely because VM is an Intel Premier Partner :)Also, being a first launch system, the Intel boards are often the farthest along in development and stability at launch date.
privater - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
weeks ago,heard form other article that the dimm voltage must below 1.65v .but this rig seems use 1.90v ?Matt Campbell - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
There is a warning present in the BIOS about exceeding 1.65V, and Intel is requiring some vendors to put warning labels on their motherboard packaging. 1.9V was the setting that Velocity Micro provided on the system, and we tested it as such, but reducing it to stock did not solve the stability problems on the first system.In Gary's X58 article, he pushed the MSI board up to a 1.90V VDIMM as well.
privater - Friday, December 12, 2008 - link
weeks ago,heard form other article that the dimm voltage must below 1.65v .but this rig seems use 1.90v ?